In 2025, he was once considered the “academic overachiever” in the eyes of his parents, a top student in the Architecture Department of the University of Hong Kong. However, he decisively dropped out halfway and embarked on a path in the arts full of unknowns. From being a regular supporting actor alongside Stephen Chow to a humorous TV host, and then to being nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Hong Kong Film Awards, Li Shangzheng’s life unfolded like a movie without a script. Along the way, he experienced lows and setbacks but managed to face life with persistence and humor, thus creating his own legend.
Many Hong Kong viewers see Li Shangzheng, also known as “Ah Zheng,” as a TV personality who always brings surprises and laughter when hosting travel programs with a smiling face. Nevertheless, the story behind this male artist who has been praised as the “number one” at a certain TV station is much more complex than what appears on the screen.
Li Shangzheng was born in 1981 into a teacher’s family, growing up in a strict educational environment. His parents instilled in him the belief that “studying is your duty.” His childhood was filled with reading “One Hundred Thousand Whys,” and under these expectations, he displayed remarkable academic talent: achieving excellent results in exams and eventually entering the Architecture Department at the University of Hong Kong.
However, the path of fate is never smooth just because of excellent grades. Ah Zheng chose the Architecture Department not out of a passion for design but because his idol Eason Chan had also studied in this department, coupled with a deep impression left by the movie “Glass City” starring Leslie Cheung. He admitted that he did not have a true passion for architecture. The heavy workload and internship pressure gradually suffocated him, and by his second year of university, he struggled even to start his graduation project, leading him to apply for a leave of absence.
During this break from studies, he backpacked through South America for several months. Initially intending to return to campus to complete his studies, he unexpectedly encountered a major turning point in 2003: a friend introduced him to assist in programs and entertainment reporting at a newly established cable entertainment news station. Despite a monthly salary of only four thousand dollars at the time, he found his own performing spark alongside the uniquely charactered artist Lam Hoi Fung. Initially planning to “have fun for a couple of months,” he ended up not wanting to leave the TV industry.
His parents could not understand because Ah Zheng was only half a year away from completing his degree, yet he resolutely chose to drop out of school. To him, books could be read later, but the opportunity to work with mentors and friends was fleeting. This decision disappointed his family and shifted his life completely off its originally planned course.
Fate once again threw a bombshell at him. Due to understaffing at the news station, Ah Zheng, who was originally a behind-the-scenes reporter, was temporarily pushed in front of the camera. His slightly clumsy yet sincere performance in front of the lens surprisingly caught the attention of the movie star Stephen Chow. Through a director, Stephen Chow reached out to him, inviting him to join his company. With almost no hesitation, Ah Zheng left the cable station and officially joined Starshine Company in 2005, gradually finding his place in Stephen Chow’s world from being an assistant, behind-the-scenes editor, to a small role on screen.
In several movies like “CJ7,” “Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons,” and “The Mermaid,” he became the familiar “Stephen Chow’s regular supporting actor” to audiences. However, this time was not as glamorous as outsiders imagined. Stephen Chow had strict demands on actors, even redoing a slight detail dozens of times, requiring actors to perform to perfection.
To others, this might have been challenging, but to Ah Zheng, it was a valuable training. He said that Stephen Chow was strict but fair, never targeting individuals, and often even rejecting his own creativity. Although this environment pushed him to the brink of stress, it also made him realize the true meaning of “professionalism.”
However, the prolonged tension eventually crushed him. One time, when Stephen Chow asked him to write a script, he felt so powerless like he “couldn’t read,” and the pressure was almost overwhelming to the point of collapse. Ultimately, he chose to resign. After leaving Starshine, his life quickly plummeted.
A motorcycle accident almost took his life by flinging him onto the tail of a truck, shattering his bones, fortunately not fatal. Losing his job, his savings dwindled rapidly, even needing to borrow money from family to get by. Once the illustrious “Stephen Chow’s regular supporting actor,” he once struggled to make ends meet. The desolate months were the darkest time in Ah Zheng’s life.
Fortunately, in 2010, an old friend and producer, “Ah Mu,” once again extended a helping hand, inviting him back to the cable station to host programs like “Undercover Travel Team” and “Space Makeover King.” This time, he regained his footing and steadily developed in the TV industry. Although his fame did not skyrocket, he began to enjoy the freedom of being “recognizable but unnamed,” being able to act and maintain his personal space. For him, this was already a rare happiness.
Upon returning to the cable station, Ah Zheng’s life was not without challenges. Like many Hong Kongers, he attempted investments and entrepreneurship. He partnered with friends to run a beef noodle shop, only to discover that the food and beverage industry required personal involvement in every detail. After five or six years of hard work, the business ultimately closed due to the pandemic. More painfully, he invested over a million in the US stock market, almost going broke with only a few thousand left. This experience made him bluntly say, “Don’t try lightly.”
Nevertheless, these setbacks did not completely knock him down. In recent years, with sincere and down-to-earth performances, he finally gained recognition in the film industry. With his role as a small security guard in “Still Human,” he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards. Although he didn’t ultimately win the award, the audience’s acknowledgment was a genuine encouragement to him.
Ah Zheng once quoted the late basketball superstar Kobe Bryant in an interview: “The only real failure is not continuing.” This quote perfectly sums up his drifting life. From a top student at a prestigious school to being Stephen Chow’s regular supporting actor, then to the lows after the accident, and finally returning to the TV station as a “pillar,” Ah Zheng repeatedly stood up with a smile and courage.
Today, Li Shangzheng may not be the hottest name in the entertainment industry, but with a modest yet firm attitude, he has carved out his own stage. He knows how to enjoy the freedom of being “recognized but not named” and is willing to admit his failures, laughing about the past. With a broad-minded attitude, he creates the most unique scenery in his life.